Capital Needs Planning

Update from the Vestry, Capital Needs Committee, and Buildings and Grounds Committee

July 16, 2018

Dear Friends,

I write with joy and excitement to share updates related to our capital development plans. At the end of this message you will find our Feasibility Study Report from Pete Rauchenstein, our campaign consultant. I encourage you to review this document and to pay special attention to Pete’s observations and recommendations.

What we have discerned is that there is very strong and widespread favorability for moving forward with a capital funds campaign this fall that will enable us to begin Phase I of a strategic master plan for growth and development, which will include these three objectives:

• preserving our historic Nave by remedying the significant drainage and moisture issues (including around the base of the steeple), repairing and preserving the exterior walls and interior finishes, and removing and replacing any old knob and tube wiring still in use;

• constructing a new, commercial grade kitchen and a multi-use “Great Hall” which will be beautiful enough to accommodate a larger number of people for alternative worship and flexible enough to be used for a variety of other purposes;

• increasing and improving spaces for hospitality and connections, education and formation, outreach and community engagement, and administration and support, that will be designed to accommodate groups of various sizes.

The Capital Needs Committee has been meeting with McCarty architects over the summer to refine our strategic master plan based on the feedback we received from the congregation through our visioning and feasibility phases. We feel confident that we are very close to having a plan that will address our needs for generations to come. We recently completed a topographic and boundary survey with Neel Shafer, Inc., and an asbestos survey by ERG Environmental, Inc.

You may have noticed that some preservation work on our nave, by necessity, has already begun. After an extensive examination of the bell tower and steeple by a structural engineer, we are working to address immediate concerns by repairing the bell tower roof and reinforcing the structure supporting the steeple. Both immediate concerns are the result of water-intrusion over a long period of time.

These repairs will give us time to develop an overall repair scheme with the ongoing guidance, planning, and inspection of our structural engineer. The permanent repairs will include replacement of rotten framing and roof decking, new permanent roof covering, masonry repair, and the development of a future maintenance schedule.

The projects that have been described above will be large in scope and at times disruptive to our normal operations, but essential for our continued growth and vitality as a parish. These efforts will also be costly and ambitious – likely ranging from $5 to $8 million. Through prayer, financial pledges, and active participation, we will need everyone to commit fully to this process.

To this end, Pete Rauchenstein will return to St. Peter’s and our capital funds campaign will commence on Sunday, September 9, with a seven-week advance gifts/goal confirmation phase. We will have a parish-wide kickoff celebration on Thursday evening, October 25, and our campaign will conclude prior to the Christmas holidays.

This is an historic moment in the life of our community. After years of dreaming, discernment, and study, the time is right for us to move forward with our strategic master plan. Together we can ensure that generations yet to come can continue in the mission of St. Peter’s to “share the love of Christ which transforms lives.”

Update from the Vestry and Capital Needs Committee
April 27, 2018

From February 7 through March 15, 2018, we conducted a four-week revisioning process under the direction of our resident consultant, Pete Rauchenstein, which focused on the capital needs of our parish. We used as our guiding document the 2006 Master Plan for strategic growth and development. What we learned through this process is that our plans from 2006 are still largely relevant and applicable, that there is high favorability in the parish for moving forward with these plans as our template, and that our initial concentration should be on preserving our historic nave and expanding our parish life spaces.

After interviewing four highly-regarded architectural firms, The Capital Needs Committee unanimously recommended to the Vestry that we hire McCarty Architects and Innovative Construction Management to work with us as we move forward with capital re-visioning, and the Vestry voted unanimously on Monday, April 16 to initiate these contracts. These firms will be working closely with Terry Eason, the liturgical design consultant who produced the conceptual designs in the 2006 Master Plan.

On this Sunday, April 29, Pete Rauchenstein, our resident consultant, will again join us for another four-week feasibility study. Invitations have been mailed to all parishioners to attend 1 of 15 scheduled “neighborhood gatherings.” If you don’t receive an invitation, please let our office staff know so we can get one in the mail to you! These meetings will provide everyone with the opportunity to gather in small conversation groups to hear our general plans for growth and development and to provide feedback and input as we revision. We hope everyone will make plans to attend these small-group neighborhood gatherings!

The results of these meetings will be communicated to the architect and liturgical design consultant so that they can respond to any feedback as they work to develop our proposed plans. Our consultant will also aggregate the data that is collected over the course of these next four weeks to present to the parish in a summary report. This report will include a feasibility analysis along with an estimate of what we might hope to raise if we choose to move forward with a capital campaign in the fall.

Last month, we received an extensive inspection report on our buildings from parishioner Ben Justus of DPM Inspection Services. Lee Dean, our Junior Warden, has put together a Buildings and Grounds Committee consisting of Ed Williston, Dick Marchbanks, Dianne Fergusson, Chris Rogers, Ben Justus, Dana Briscoe, Joel Little, and Duncan Gray IV. This group will use their wide and extensive knowledge and expertise to help make determinations about necessary capital maintenance and repairs and to shape our strategy as it relates to preservation efforts.

We intend to communicate regularly with the parish as we move forward in this process. If you have any questions or would like any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Vestry or the Rector.

With abundant faith and shared excitement for our future,
The Rector, the Vestry, the Capital Needs Committee, and the Buildings and Grounds Committee